In a new survey compiled by Bloomberg, Israel’s healthcare ranked fourth for most efficient system — way ahead of Canada (17th) and the US (46th) and just behind Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

Countries were ranked according to three criteria: life expectancy, percentage of GDP per capita and the absolute per capita cost of health care. Countries included in the survey all had a population of at least five million people, GDP per capita of at least $5,000, and life expectancy of at least 70 years.

In another category of the same survey, Israel ranked first in the longest life expectancy — 81.8 years — in Africa and the Middle East category.

Healthcare costs per capita in Israel were calculated at $2,426, as compared to Canada at $5,630 and the US at $8,608.
And though one would think Israelis would top a ‘stressed-out’ list, Bloomberg slotted sabras in at 51st out of 74 countries surveyed. It seems life is toughest in Nigeria and easiest in Norway.

Other statistics showed that Israel was sixth among favorite locations for high-tech companies (US ranked first); 12th amongst longest retirements (17.81 years); 44th among most decadent countries; and 21st among US brain gains (average loss of specialty-occupation workers to the US from 2009 to 2011).